Became a Servant
When Margaret announced she was getting married, my wife Emily and I were utterly stunned by the news, finding ourselves unsure how to respond.
“Are you really certain about making such a drastic change at your age?” Emily asked, glancing uncertainly at me.
“Mum, whats prompted you to make such a sudden move?” I fussed, unable to hide my nerves. “I know youve been on your own for years and that you spent most of your life looking after me, but marrying nowhonestly, it seems like a mistake.”
“Youre young, so you see things differently,” Margaret replied, always calm. “Im sixty-three, and nobody knows how long theyve got left. But I have every right to spend my remaining years with someone I love.”
“In that case, cant you at least wait with the registry office?” I tried to reason with her. “Youve only known this David for a couple of months and now youre ready to turn your whole life upside-down.”
“In our age, waiting doesnt do anyone any good,” Margaret argued. “And what more do I need to know? Hes two years older, lives with his daughter and her family in a three-bedroom flat, has a decent pension, and owns a garden plot out in Surrey.”
“But where do you intend to live?” I pressed, confused. “Theres barely enough space for the three of us hereadding anyone else would be impossible.”
“Dont worry about that, Davids not interested in our square footage,” Margaret explained. “Ill be moving in with himthe flats spacious, and Ive already got on well with his daughter. Everyones grown up, so theres no need for any conflicts.”
I was upset; Emily tried nudging me towards accepting my mothers choice.
“Maybe were just being selfish?” she mused. “Of course, its convenient that your mum helps us, looks after Sophie a lot. But shes got every right to carve out her own life, and now that she finally has a chance, we shouldnt stand in her way.”
“Itd be fine if they just lived togetherwhy make it all official?” I grumbled. “I dont fancy seeing a white dress and cheesy wedding games at my age.”
“Look, theyre old school. Maybe having things official keeps them feeling calm and more secure,” Emily reasoned.
So Margaret carried through with her wedding to David, whom shed met by chance in the High Street, and soon enough she moved into his flat. At first, everything seemed finethe family welcomed her, David treated her kindly, and for a while, Margaret felt shed finally found the happiness she was owed in later life, ready just to enjoy her days.
Soon enough, the realities of living in someone elses family began to surface.
“Would you mind making stew for dinner tonight?” Davids daughter, Hannah, asked one afternoon. “Id do it myself, but works been manic. Youve got a lot more free time nowadays.”
Margaret understood the hint and ended up taking over the cookingalong with food shopping, tidying up, running the laundry, and even regular trips out to the allotment.
“Well, the allotments our shared business now youre my wife,” David declared. “Hannah and her husband are busy, the granddaughters still a toddler, so well manage everything together.”
Margaret didnt object; she liked feeling part of a big, lively family that worked together and supported each other. Things with her first husband had been nothing like thished been lazy and sly, vanishing entirely when I turned ten. Twenty years had gone by without a word from him. Now everything felt as it should, so she found no hardship in her tasks, and fatigue didnt breed resentment.
“Mum, are you really up for all that heavy work at the allotment?” I protested. “After every trip, I bet your blood pressure shoots up. Is it worth it?”
“Of course it ishonestly, I enjoy it,” replied my mother. “David and I will grow heaps of veg, therell be enough for everyone, and well share it with you.”
Yet I felt uneasy, as several months passed and not once were we invited overeven just for an introduction. Emily and I invited David round; he always promised hed come, but there was never time or energy. Eventually, we stopped trying, accepting they werent much bothered about building a relationship. The only thing we truly wished for was my mothers happiness.
For a while, she really was contenteven happy with all her chores. But the demands kept piling up, and it started to weigh on her. David, at the allotment, always found his back hurting or moaned about chest pain; Margaret would fuss over him, letting him rest while she dragged branches, gathered leaves, and carried rubbish to the compost heap.
“Bolognaise again?” grumbled Anthony, Davids son-in-law. “We had it last night; I hoped for something different.”
“I ran out of time to make anything elseand didnt get to the shops,” Margaret said, apologetically. “I cleaned all the curtains today and got them hung, ended up exhausted and had to take a breather.”
“Fair enough, but Im really not fond of bolognaise,” Anthony complained, pushing away his plate.
“Tomorrow, Margaret will put on a real feast for us all,” David piped up.
Sure enough, the following day my mother spent hours in the kitchenonly to have everything devoured within half an hour. Then she scrubbed the kitchen cleanand the same cycle continued day after day. But now, Hannah and Anthony started finding fault with everything, and David was quick to side with them, painting Margaret as the one to blame.
“Look, Im not a young womanI’m getting worn outand I dont see why Im expected to handle all this on my own,” she eventually spoke up.
“Youre my wife, so its your job to keep the house in order,” David insisted.
“And as your wife I should have rights as well as responsibilities,” Margaret sobbed.
Afterwards, shed calm down and go on serving, trying to keep the peace and please everyone. But one day, shed simply had enough. That afternoon, Hannah and Anthony were heading out to see friends and planned to leave their daughter with Margaret.
“Let her stay with her granddad or come along with youIm off to see my own granddaughter today,” Margaret declared.
“And why should we all have to rearrange our plans for you?” Hannah snapped.
“Theres no reason you should, but I dont owe you anything, either,” Margaret reminded them. “Its my granddaughters birthday, and I told you about it on Tuesday. Not only did everyone ignore it, but youre trying to keep me at home.”
“This is just unacceptablehonestly,” David growled, his face flushing with anger. “Hannahs plans are all muddled now, and your granddaughters still too youngshell be just as happy if you see her tomorrow.”
“And nothings lost if we all go visit my children together, or else you stay with your granddaughter until Im back,” Margaret asserted.
“Knew nothing good would come of this wedding,” Hannah snapped. “Her cookings mediocre, she doesnt keep things tidy, and she only ever thinks of herself!”
“After all Ive done here these past months, do you agree with that?” Margaret asked David directly. “Tell me honestlywere you looking for a wife, or did you just want a housemaid to cater for everyones whims?”
“Now youre just being unfair, trying to put everything on me,” David replied, blinking quickly. “Lets not start an argument out of nothing.”
“I asked a simple question and Id like a straightforward answer,” Margaret pressed.
“If thats how you feel, then do as you see fitbut that sort of attitude isnt welcome in my house,” David declared, puffing himself up.
“In that case, Im quitting,” said Margaret, heading off to pack her things.
“Will you take your hapless granny back?” she asked, hauling her suitcase and a present for her granddaughter. “I went and got married, only to come back. Ive no desire to talk about it nowjust tell me, will you have me?”
“Of course!” Emily and I rushed to her side. “Your rooms ready and waitingwere glad to have you home.”
“Glad for no reason?” she sought reassurance.
“Why else would people be happy to see family?” Emily replied, warmly.
Thats when Margaret knew she wasnt a servant. Yes, she helped out at home and watched Sophie when she could, but Emily and I never took advantage or tried to pile everything on her shoulders. Here, she was a mother, grandmother, mother-in-lawa genuine family member, not a housekeeper. Margaret returned for good, filed for divorce herself, and did her best to put the whole unpleasant episode behind her.
